Skippack residents oppose proposed walking path at Church Road Park

SKIPPACK — Two Fort Bevon Road residents submitted a petition to the township’s board of supervisors Wednesday asking them to eliminate a walking path from proposed improvements at Church Road Park.

During the public comment section of the public meeting, Joyce Grunklee expressed her concerns about the proposed construction of an illuminated walking path from the intersection of Fort Bevon and Clonmel roads to the park.

Reading from a prepared statement, Grunklee identified the major concerns of the proposed trail for residents: a reduction in safety, additional maintenance, a loss of privacy, a previous assurance that nothing would be built along the open space, the financial burden for homeowners to purchase fences due to potential liability, and potential inability to enforce the township’s park rules.

She called the last point the key issue.

“There’s no one to enforce those rules,” Grunklee said after her presentation.

As Grunklee spoke, her neighbor Jodi Riley held up a large whiteboard visible to the officials on the dais with photos depicting the park, its posted rules and drawings of the proposed improvements.

Riley handed the petition, which includes 87 signatures in favor of eliminating the walking path, to township Manager Ted Locker.

Residents nearly filled the meeting room to express their concerns and listen to the discussion. Several said the lighted trail would attract additional undesirable youths to their properties via the proposed path.

The walking path is part of a series of proposals for the park by municipal officials that includes a 21-space parking lot, a new basketball court and two new tennis courts.

Any improvements to the park would include security cameras and lighting, according to supervisors Chairman Franco D’Angelo.

Supervisor Paul Fox expressed a preference to have the park under surveillance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Security will be an issue,” Fox said.

According to township engineer Tim Woodrow, the intent of the new path was to expand the municipality’s trail network.

Woodrow said township officials sought input from the residents on how to best manage that asset.

“No one is married to the location of that trail,” Woodrow said. “If there are any real concerns about this portion of the plan, then consider it gone.”

Responding to a question regarding the board’s motivation to include the trail, D’Angelo said a walking path would increase the value of residents’ homes.

“If there are any real concerns about this portion of the plan, then consider it gone,” Woodrow said.

Fox said he has not committed to support any of the Church Road Park proposals, and that any enhancements would include surveillance cameras.

According to Fox, municipal officials collected a menu of ideas to upgrade the park. He said the project’s initial phase always included “cameras to catch vandals.”

“I’m not married to any of this, because I haven’t seen a budget for it,” he said during the meeting.

The supervisor asked that the residents remain respectful and patient while municipal officials seek a resolution.

“We all know what the problem is,” Fox said. “However, there may be some different opinions about what will be the best solution.”